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Correspondence from George Walter Chamberlain to Fannie Hardy Eckstorm ca. 1942, part 1 (ms158_b1f021_001.04.pdf)

�29 Hillside Avenue Malden, Mass Feb 19, 1942

My dear Mrs. Eckstrom [sic]:

It is good of you to write to me with a [illegible - broken?] thigh. I am distressed to learn of your misfortune. I hope and pray that you will recover rapidly. I have a classmate in Winter Park, Florida, whose good wife is nearly recovered from a similar accident.

For several years I thought of writing to Dr. Ganong for his opinion as to the Indian name of my native town. I neglected to do so and I have no idea as to its meaning. Between 1746 and 1760 the only part of Lebanon which was occupied was the south western section of the township-- the First Division of Home Lots.

If Towwok refers to the river, it may have something to do with the falls. The boundary line between Berwick and Lebanon starts at the lowest stair in the Salmon Falls River -- there are three or four stairs there in the river. About two rods from the town line was erected early a grist mill by three of the earliest settlers which later the [sic] sold to Rev. Isaac Hasey, the first settled minister of Lebanon. The first division of Home Lots extended from Berwick town line back three miles towards West Lebanon Village. The Home Lots were covered with heavy pine growth and the soil was free from rocks. The Proprietors Records do not help me on the Indian name. They called it the "New Township at the Head of Berwick."

After the township was surveyed and laid out there were later ten or more lots which were outlying which were later annexed to the original township. I have given a brief outline of the ten outlying lots in The Beginning of Lebanon. I have only one copy in my possession. I have a photostat of these ten plans and several more which I have studied.

In your Indian Place Names page 184 you state that Tombegewoc Pond is in Lebanon. It is not in the original survey of the town. Lydstones grant of 300 acres is in two plans of that part of the town. If it is now a part of our town, it was annexed

Description: Letters concerning Indian languages, culture, and history.

Link to document in Digital Maine

Language: Engliash

Date: 1942

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